Poems are portable gifts. We can carry them with us in books, on our devices, in our memory and in our heart.

Reading poems can help us on our journeys through life. And writing them helps both the writer and the reader of the work.

So, readers, writers, and pilgrims of all kinds, this is an invitation to explore what might be your poems for your path ahead.

I’m excited to be developing this UK-wide poetry project. We held workshops in a cathedral in England and in a consecrated cave in Scotland in 2023. In March 2024 there was a residential poetry retreat, The Thread You Follow, co-led by Demelza Henderson, at Sheldon Retreat Centre in Devon. This had such a long reserve list that we’re running it again in November 2024. In 2025, we’re returning to Sheldon for a second retreat there: Dark Earth, Bright Field. More information and links for both of these are on the events page.

Here are a few comments from the feedback forms for our March retreat:

• Wonderful to experience quality time away from the busyness of daily life, to be with like-minded people sharing a new experience

• The poetry sessions – structure and content, pace and activities – all were designed with such care and led with such skill, thoughtfulness and generosity. I gained so much from each session and I have an abundance of gifts (ideas, energy, etc) that I am carrying away with me.

• I found the atmosphere, fellowship, the inclusivity and honesty and love absolutely wonderful!

• Helen said she aimed for ‘abundance’ and that’s what we got – thank you! So much to take away and feed from.

If you’d like to be among the first to know more about any aspect of the project, please drop me an email or fill in the contact form with the subject line Join Poems for the path ahead mailing list, and I’ll be in touch.

Watch this space…